The invention relates generally to a device for supplying fuel from a reservoir to the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In particular, this invention relates to a device of this kind having a fuel reserve container disposed in the reservoir, a fuel pumping unit aspirating from the reserve container and communicating on the compression side with the engine, a fuel return line from the engine to the reservoir, a jet pump communicating with the return line and disposed in the reservoir, a chamber formed by the housing of the reserve container and defining a plurality of portions, the jet pump protruding into the chamber to pump fuel into the reserve container, and one portion of the chamber being provided with an opening communicating with the reservoir. In such known devices, the problem is that particularly when cornering when the reservoir or fuel tank is almost empty, the fuel collects in a peripheral region of the fuel tank. As a result, there is no longer any fuel in the region of the opening through which the jet pump aspirates the fuel from the fuel tank. Fuel from the reserve container can thus flow out through the opening via the mixing tube into the fuel tank, allowing the fuel level in the reserve container to drop so much that it is no longer assured that the fuel pump will be supplied with enough fuel from the reserve container.
The device according to the invention for supplying fuel from a reservoir to the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is characterized by the provision of an elongated chamber defining a succession of cylindrical portions extending along the bottom of the reserve container and above the bottom of the reservoir; the jet pump protruding into the first cylindrical portion; the opening in the second cylindrical portion having the form of an intake window located in the upper half of the second portion above the fuel jet streaming from the jet pump, thus creating in the lower half of the chamber a storage space for fuel; the intake window communicating with the interior of the reservoir through a conduit whose intake orifice is located a short distance above the bottom of the reservoir; and the last cylindrical portion communicating with the interior of the reserve container through an opening located at the level of the intake window. The invention has the advantage over the prior art of preventing a return flow of fuel from the reserve container into the fuel tank. This assures that there will always be enough fuel in the reserve container, so that the fuel pump is always supplied with fuel.
Further advantages and advantageous refinements of the device according to the invention for supplying fuel from a reservoir to the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, when taken in view with the accompanying drawings.